Then I got divorced, met my new husband (not in the same day) and moved from England to Northern Ireland. I had another child, (that made 4) then last year my husband booked a day's pony trekking for me and my 10 year old son and I was bitten by the horsey bug all over again.
But instead of maybe going riding once a week I decided I wanted my own horse, I love the looking after and building up a friendship as much as the riding. I wanted something big, cobby, quiet and a few miles on the clock, I ended up with a 4 year old ex race horse. He went back after 2 weeks and we brought Blaze home. To cut the story short he was very nervous, friendly, but also an ex race horse. As he got fitter he was too much horse for me.
My livery landlord called me one day to say he had found me a horse so we went to have a look. By this time I was giving up, I was very nervous about riding and didn't think there was anything for me. Then we met Roxy. I fell in love with her as soon as I saw her, it sounds silly but she looked safe. I tried her, I bought her and the first thing I did with her when I got her home was go for a 2 hour hack. That's all I wanted to do and now I can do it. Even better than that, we are jumping in all our local shows and getting placed every time and the lowest place we have had so far is 3rd. Not bad for a 20 year break from riding.
Roxy is my special girl, she really is so good, I wouldn't trade her for the world and no matter what anyone offered me for her I wouldn't sell her. She is 11/12 yrs old and we found out at a show we were at that she is well bred too. But I don't care who her sire is, I love her to bits and in a year or two I might breed her. If I could get another with half her nature I would be more than pleased.
My friend Johnny laughs at her and says she looks like a donkey crossed with a cart horse and he calls her Daisy because he says she looks like she should have a big buttercup stuck out the side of her mouth, but I don't care I wouldn't part with her for anything.
By the way Roxy is a 16.1hh Irish draught, she is black with a white blaze and 4 white socks, she also has a very odd white patch under her neck. My husband says she used to be a pit bull in a former life.